Tafsir of Surah An-Nazi'at - Verse 15

Mentioning the Story of Musa and that it is a Lesson for Those Who fear Allah

Allah informs His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ about His Messenger Musa. He mentions that he sent Musa to Fir`awn and He aided him with miracles. Yet, even after this, Fir`awn continued in his disbelief and transgression until Allah seized him with a mighty and powerful punishment. Thus is the punishment of whoever opposes you (Muhammad ﷺ) and rejects that which you have been sent with. This is why Allah says at the end of the story,

إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى

(In this is a Lesson for whoever fears.) Allah begins by saying,

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَى

(Has there come to you the story of Musa) meaning, have you heard of his story

إِذْ نَادَاهُ رَبُّهُ

(When his Lord called him) meaning, He called out speaking to him.

بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ

(in the holy valley) meaning purified

طُوًى

(Tuwa) According to what is correct, it is the name of a valley, as preceded in Surah Ta Ha. So, He said to him:

اذْهَبْ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَى

(Go to Fir`awn; verily, he has transgressed all bounds.) meaning, he has become haughty, rebellious and arrogant.

فَقُلْ هَل لَّكَ إِلَى أَن تَزَكَّى

(And say to him: "Would you purify yourself") meaning, say to him, "Will you respond to the path and way that will purify you" This means, `will you submit (accept Islam) and be obedient'

وَأَهْدِيَكَ إِلَى رَبِّكَ

(And that I guide to your Lord,) meaning, `I will guide you to the worship of your Lord.'

فَتَخْشَى

(so that you fear) meaning, `so that your heart will become humble, obedient, and submissive to Him after it was hard, evil, and far away from goodness.'

فَأَرَاهُ الاٌّيَةَ الْكُبْرَى

(Then he showed him the great sign.) This means that Musa showed him -- along with this truthful call -- a strong evidence and a clear proof of the truthfulness of what he had come up with from Allah.

فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَى

(But he denied and disobeyed.) meaning, he (Fir`awn) rejected the truth and opposed what Musa commanded him with of obedience. So what happened with him was that his heart disbelieved, and Musa (i.e., his call) could not internally or externally affect it. Along with this, his knowledge that what Musa had come to him with was the truth, did not necessitate his being a believer in it. This is because recognition is the knowledge of the heart, and faith is its action. And it (faith) is to comply with the truth and submit to it. Concerning Allah's statement,

ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ يَسْعَى

(Then he turned back, striving.) meaning, in responding to the truth with falsehood. This was by his gathering the group of magicians in order to confront that which Musa had come up with of spectacular miracles.

فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى

(So he gathered (his people) and called out) meaning, among his people.

فَقَالَ أَنَاْ رَبُّكُمُ الاٌّعْلَى

(Saying; I am your lord, most high.") Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid both said, "This is the word which Fir`awn said after he said,

مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرِى

(`I have not known of any other god for you all other than me) for the past forty years."' Allah then says,

فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الاٌّخِرَةِ وَالاٍّوْلَى

(So Allah seized him with a punishing example for the Hereafter and the first (life). ) meaning, Allah avenged Himself against him with a severe vengeance, and He made an example and admonition of him for those rebellious people in the world who are like him.

وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ بِئْسَ الرِّفْدُ الْمَرْفُودُ

(And on the Day of Resurrection, evil indeed is the gift gifted i.e., the curse (in this world) pursued by another curse (in this world) pursued by another curse (in the Hereafter).) (11:99) This is as Allah says,

وَجَعَلْنَـهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيـمَةِ لاَ يُنصَرُونَ

(And We made them leaders inviting to the Fire: and on the Day of Resurrection, they will not be helped.) (28:41) Allah said;

إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى

(In this is a lesson for whoever fears.)

The fifth quality of the angels:

فَالْمُدَبِّرَ‌اتِ أَمْرً‌ا (then manage [ to do ] everything [ they are ordered to do,]...79:5). In other words, the last task of these angels of death will be as follows: Those who are commanded to reward and comfort the deserving souls, will gather means of reward and comfort for them; and those who are commanded to punish and cause pain to [ the evil souls ] will organize means for that.

Reward and Punishment in the Grave

The Surah thus far confirms that at the time of death, the angels will arrive and extract human souls. Then they will take them to the sky and swiftly transport them to their abodes, the good souls to the good abode and the bad souls to the bad one. There they will organise means of reward or punishment and pain or comfort for them. The verses show that the reward and punishment will take place in the grave or barzakh. Thereafter the reward and punishment will be meted out on the Day of Judgment. Authentic Traditions give elaborate details of this. There is a lengthy Tradition of Sayyidna Bard' Ibn ` Azib cited in Mishkat-ul-Masabih with reference to Musnad of Ahmad.

Nafs [ Self ] Ruh [ Spirit - Soul ]: Qadi Thana'ullah's Research and Analysis

The readers are referred to a special research and analysis by the Baihaqi of his time, Qadi Thana'ullah Panipati, that was presented in this book under verse [ 29] of Surah Hijr. Here the learned commentator has added some more details which dispose of many doubts which arise from the above Tradition: The human soul is a refined body which permeates the dense material body. The [ ancient ] doctors and philosophers called it as ruh or soul. But the real spirit is an abstract substance and a subtle divine creature connected in a special way with this physical soul or nafs, the life of which is dependent on the Divine Spirit. The pure, abstract and non-material spirit is the life of the first soul on which depends the life of the body, and therefore it is called the 'soul of soul'. The real nature of the connection between these two kinds of soul is not known to anyone. It is known to Allah alone. Perhaps an illustration would clarify the matter. If we were to hold a mirror against the sun, then, despite that the sun is 149.6 million kilometers away from the earth, its reflection comes into the mirror. And because of the light, that too starts glowing like the sun. The same thing applies to the human soul. If it exerts itself in spiritual struggle and ascetic discipline in keeping with the teachings of [ Divine ] revelation, he will be enlightened. Otherwise he would be polluted with the bad effects of the physical body. This is the refined bodily soul that the angels transport to the heaven and transport him back with honours if he is enlightened. Otherwise the doors of the heaven are not opened for him and is thrown down from top. This is the refined bodily soul, the Tradition notes, which Allah created from dust and to it He will return him and from it. He resurrect him. It is this refined bodily soul that gets enlightened and becomes fragrant. But the same body can stink because of [ the filth on disbelief and idolatrous practices. The 'abstract spirit' is connected with the dense body through the refined bodily soul. The abstract spirit never dies. The reward or punishment of grave is experienced by the refined bodily soul which keeps connected with the grave whereas the abstract spirit remains in ` illiyyun, and it feels the effects of reward and punishment indirectly. Thus the statement that 'the soul is in the grave' is true in the sense that 'soul' in this context refers to the bodily soul. The statement that 'the soul is in ` Alam-ul-arwah or ` illiyyun' is also true, because the 'soul' in this context refers to ruh mujarrad or 'abstract spirit'. Thus it is possible to reconcile the apparently conflicting statements.

فَإِذَا هُم بِالسَّاهِرَ‌ةِ (and in no time they will be [ brought ] in the plain [ of hashr ]...79:14). The word sahirah refers to 'the surface of the earth'. When the earth will be re-created at Resurrection, it will be a completely level surface. There will be no mountain barriers, no buildings or caves. This is referred to as 'sahirah'.

The Holy Prophet ﷺ used to be hurt by the stubbornness of the obdurate rejecters of Resurrection. The next verses recount the story of Musa (علیہ السلام) and Fir'aun to console him, and to show that the adverse attitude of the pagans is not confined to him. The previous prophets have also faced similar situations, but they endured them with patience. The Holy Prophet ﷺ too should exercise patience and fortitude.

The life of Pharaoh and other deniers of the truth like him provides proof of the fact that one who denies realities is ultimately punished for it. These historical examples are enough to teach man a lesson. But an instructive event is such only to one who has a prudent mentality, and who examines an action from the viewpoint of its end-result and not just in relation to its beginning.